Gardening aids grocery budget blues

May 15, 2008
St. Charles County

Families traditionally have tamed grocery budgets by growing some of their own food.

But, if the thought of gardening has you dreading weeding chores in the hot sun, read on. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Growing strawberries in a strawberry pot is easy and rewarding.

Get started right away. Here’s how:

Put a square of wire mesh, like a bit of window screen, in the bottom of the pot. This will keep the soil inside the container.

Put potting soil in the pot, only up to the lowest holes.

For the pot openings on the sides, use smaller plants. Save the larger plants for the top of the pot, where there is more room.

Plant one strawberry plant in each of the low openings. Be sure to pack the soil firmly around the roots.

Fill the pot with soil up to the next set of holes. Put a strawberry plant in each of those openings.

Repeat this planting process until you’ve filled the pot with soil. Plant the largest strawberry plants at the top of the pot.

Water the top of the pot and each opening.

Be sure to put the strawberry pot in a sunny spot and every few days, rotate so that each plant gets sunlight.

Water the plants every day. After a couple months, you’ll be able to pick some ripe berries. Then more will grow in their place.

Embrace the fun. Gardening can be a good time, a great family activity and save money on groceries.